The Grove Clan, Ch. 2

Charles Gunnison Grove was the oldest, and only surviving son of Thomas Franklin and Sarah Melvina Grove.  He was born in Colgate, Oklahoma on May 27^rd, 1893.  Charles had an older brother, Albert McComb who only lived for a year, and an older sister, Mary Altha who died at the age of two.

Charles graduated from Coalgate High School like his sisters, but did not go to “District School” or College.  His daughter, Mozelle Roseneau, tells about his early days looking for work.  As a young man, he traveled North to pick fruit when he wasn’t helping on his father’s farm.  In all the surviving photos of Charles, he is clearly of a different cut.  Slim and trim, and well dressed was his style.

Charles and a friend

He loved camping, hunting, and the outdoors.

Charles and his hunting dog

He followed in the footsteps of his father when he went to work in the mines of Coalgate, Oklahoma.  His father, Thomas Franklin, was a carpenter for the mining company, and Charles actually worked in the coal pits.  On his June 1917 WWI Draft Registration, he is listed as a coal miner.  Charles was drafted into the army in January of 1918 and received an honorable discharge 18 months later on August 14^th, 1919.

Charles’ military discharge

A year after his discharge from the military, Charles met Edith Bournheim.  Ediths family had just emigrated from Germany, and Edith was sent to stay with a family in Coalgate while her parents were seeking work in St. Louis, MO.  Charles and Edith were married in Coalgate on December 16^th, 1920

One day there was an accident at the mine that took the lives of several of the miners, and that had a large impact on Charles Gunnison’s future.

Rescuers entering the mine

After the birth of his only child, Mozelle Charlene, Charles decided the mines were too dangerous so he tendered his resignation and quit.

Mozelle, age 3

Mozelle Charlene was born on December 19^th, 1922, and shortly thereafter, Charles moved his wife and family to Illinois where, again, he was forced to take a job in the coal mines.  Charles knew he needed to get out of the dangerous mining industry, but was frustrated by the need to support his family.  At some point, the small family went to Edith’s parents home in Saint Louis, Missouri, where he embarked on his career in the burgeoning elevator industry, a career he would stay with for the rest of his life.

Sadly, in an effort to remove himself from the dangers of coal mining, Charles took up a profession that would cause his untimely death on the 6^th of September, 1960.  While working on an elevator, Charles was crushed to death when the elevator fell on him.